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Definition of chemical noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

chemical

noun
 
/ˈkemɪkl/
 
/ˈkemɪkl/
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  1. a substance obtained by or used in a chemical process
    • toxic chemicals
    • Toy manufacturers have been banned from using the chemicals.
    • exposure to hazardous chemicals
    • Farmers are being urged to reduce their use of chemicals and work with nature to combat pests.
    • The condition may be caused by an imbalance of chemicals in the brain.
    see also forever chemical
    Extra Examples
    • We don't use many chemicals on our farm these days.
    • chemicals discharged by industry into our lakes and rivers
    • Hormones are chemicals that are released in the body and control many important functions.
    • This chemical is often used to make cleaning products.
    Topics Physics and chemistryb1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • organic
    • inorganic
    • synthetic
    verb + chemical
    • manufacture
    • produce
    • dump
    chemical + noun
    • factory
    • plant
    • works
    See full entry
    Word Originlate 16th cent.: from French chimique or modern Latin chimicus, chymicus, from medieval Latin alchymicus, from alchimia, from Arabic al-kīmiyā', from al ‘the’ + kīmiyā' (from Greek khēmia, khēmeia ‘art of transmuting metals’).
See chemical in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee chemical in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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